Fungus-origin lysyl oxidases

ABSTRACT

Lysyl oxidase derived from filamentous fungi and a DNA encoding thereof are provided. Lysyl oxidase including a protein described in of the following (a) or (b): (a) a protein having an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2; or (b) a protein having an amino acid sequence obtained by modifying a part of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, and functioning as lysyl oxidase.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to lysyl oxidase derived from filamentous fungi and DNA encoding the same, and uses thereof.

BACKGROUND ART

Among the filamentous fungi, in particular, Aspergillus including Aspergillus oryzae (yellow Aspergillus) etc. has been traditionally used in brewing industry in Japan for producing sake, bean paste, soy sauce, mirin, and the like, and directly eaten. Aspergillus is a safe source of genes listed up in GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) of US FDA (Food and drug Administration).

Therefore, in the safety test such as a chronic toxicity test required when genes derived from general fungi are used for foods, etc., in the case of genes derived from general fungi, the cost is about 1 billion yen. On the other hand, in the case of genes that are the above-mentioned GRAS genes, it is advantageous that the cost can be made to be about one-third of the cost and further that it takes a shorter time to conduct the test as compared with the case of general genes.

Thus, filamentous fungi, in particular, Aspergillus could provide a treasure trove of genes with a high utility value from the safe and economical viewpoint. The technology related to the present invention is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2796114 (patent document 1) and Japanese Patent No. 2977245 (patent document 2).

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Therefore, by clarifying information on the genome DNA of these fungi and clarifying the functions of genes encoded thereby, it is possible to provide an effective using method of safe gene resources, for example, production of materials with the use of biotechnology, in food industry; and to provide useful information for screening various kinds of genes in the field of agricultural chemicals and medicine.

Furthermore, it would provide a useful tool for analyzing genome information of grain contamination fungi such as closely-related species including for example, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, etc. and human-infecting bacteria.

As a result of investigation with the view of the above-mentioned object, the present inventors have succeeded in analyzing the genome of Aspergillus oryzae, that is, a kind of Aspergillus and have determined the base sequence thereof (and an amino acid sequence encoded by the base sequence) and various functions etc. Based on such results, the present inventors disclosed various DNAs derived from Aspergillus oryzae, as well as a primer set for amplifying a gene of filamentous fungi in GRAS grade including a nucleotide sequence prepared by these DNAs and a probe for detecting genes of filamentous fungi, etc. in the prior application (JP2001-403261).

The present inventors have conducted a further investigation based on the resultant genome information on Aspergillus. That is to say, the present inventors paid attention to lysyl oxidase and identified a sequence encoding lysyl oxidase from the resultant base sequences. The present inventors have also tried to identify an amino acid sequence of a protein encoded by the sequence. Note here that lysyl oxidase is a kind of amine oxidase and has a function of oxidizing lysine residues in protein so as to crosslink the lysine residues. The presence of lysyl oxidase derived from animals has been traditionally known and such lysyl oxidase has been applied to improving the texture foods (see for example the above-mentioned patent documents 1 and 2). In recent years, studies on lysyl oxidase derived from microorganisms has been conducted and lysyl oxidase having a substrate specificity similar to lysyl oxidase derived from mammals has been found from Pichia Pastoris, a kind of yeast (FEBS Lett. 1988 238, 74-76). It was found that this lysyl oxidase derived from Pichia Pastoris not only had a property similar to that of lysyl oxidase derived from mammal but also had a structure similar to that of amine oxidase of bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Arthrobacter globiformis etc. (see J. Inorg Biochem. 2001 83 (2-3): 193-204). However, the isolation of lysyl oxidase from filamentous fungus that is a higher microorganism likewise yeast has not been reported to date.

The preset inventors have investigated earnestly and successfully found a sequence, which is highly homologous to lysyl oxidase genes derived from the already reported Pichia Pastoris, in genome of the Aspergillus. When expressing a protein encoded by the base sequence by using a filamentous fungus as a host, the lysyl oxidase activity was shown. From the result, it was experimentally confirmed that the sequence encoded lysyl oxidase. On the other hand, the present inventors have succeeded in identifying the coding region in the sequence and have found that a protein encoded by the sequence has a novel amino acid sequence. Thus, the present inventors succeeded in identifying lysyl oxidase derived from filamentous fungi and the amino acid sequence thereof for the first time.

The present invention was completed based on the above-mentioned results and the specific object of the present invention is to provide lysyl oxidase derived from filamentous fungi and a DNA encoding the same, and a method for producing lysyl oxidase derived from filamentous fungi. In order to achieve the objects, the following configurations are provided.

[1] Lysyl oxidase consisting of a protein described in the following (a) or (b):

-   -   (a) a protein having an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID         NO: 2; or     -   (b) a protein having an amino acid sequence configured by         modifying a part of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID         NO: 2, and functioning as lysyl oxidase.

[2] A DNA described in the following (A) or (B):

-   -   (A) a DNA encoding lysyl oxidase described in [1]; or     -   (B) a DNA which hybridizes under stringent conditions to the DNA         described in (A) and encodes a protein functioning as lysyl         oxidase.

[3] A DNA having any one of the following sequences (i) to (iii):

-   -   (i) a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3;     -   (ii) a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4;     -   (iii) a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5;     -   (iv) a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6;     -   (v) a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; and     -   (vi) a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7.

[4] A vector carrying the DNA described in [2] or [3].

[5] Filamentous fungi into which the DNA described in [2] or [3] is exogenously introduced.

[6] A method for producing lysyl oxidase, the method including the following steps (1) and (2):

-   -   (1) a step of culturing the filamentous fungi described in [5]         under conditions where a protein encoded by the DNA can be         produced; and     -   (2) a step of collecting the produced protein.

The “DNA” of the present invention is not limited to a double strand DNA but is intended to include a single strand DNA (sense chain and antisense chain) constituting the double strand DNA. Furthermore, the DNA of the present invention includes a DNA having an arbitrary base sequence considering the degeneracy of codons. Furthermore, the form of the DNA is not limited and may include a cDNA, a genome DNA and a synthetic DNA.

The “DNA encoding a protein” of the present invention is a DNA from which a protein is obtained when it is expressed. The “DNA” includes not only a DNA having a base sequence corresponding to an amino acid sequence of the protein but also a DNA obtained by adding a sequence that does not encode an amino acid sequence to the DNA having a base sequence corresponding to an amino acid sequence of the protein (examples of the latter DNA includes a DNA including one or a plurality of introns).

The “Lysyl oxidase derived from filamentous fungi” of the present invention includes lysyl oxidase prepared by using filamentous fungi as a starting material or lysyl oxidase prepared by using information (amino acid sequence or DNA sequence) of lysyl oxidase carried by filamentous fungi in the process of obtaining lysyl oxidase. Examples of such lysyl oxidase include not only a lysyl oxidase prepared from filamentous fungi by using a physical technique, a biochemical technique and the like but also lysyl oxidase prepared by a gene engineering technology using an amino acid sequence or a DNA sequence of the lysyl oxidase disclosed in the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a procedure for constructing a vector pBALO.

FIG. 2 is a table (upper part) and a graph (lower part) showing measurement results of the activity of lysyl oxidase using filamentous fungi transformed by the vector pBALO. ABPUI1 represents a control (a sample using a culture supernatant of Aspergillus nidulans ABPU1 strain).

FIG. 3 shows a sequence of a 3′ DNA fragment amplified by using a primer specific to the gene in which RNA extracted from a transformant carrying a lysyl oxidase gene is used as a template. An underlined part shows the position of the primer (LO-3′) used herein.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a procedure for constructing a vector pBALO-D.

FIG. 5 is a table (upper part) and a graph (lower part) showing measurement results of the activity of lysyl oxidase using filamentous fungi transformed by the vector pBALO-D. ABPUI1 represents a control (a sample using a culture supernatant of Aspergillus nidulans ABPU1 strain).

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(Protein)

The first aspect of the present invention relates to lysyl oxidase derived from filamentous fungi. Lysyl oxidase provided in the present invention includes a protein having, for example, an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2. As shown in the below-mentioned Examples, it has been confirmed that the protein actually exhibits a lysyl oxidase activity in the expression system using filamentous fungi.

Herein, in general, in a case where a part of the amino acid sequence of a protein is modified, a protein after modification has the same function as that of a protein before modification. That is to say, modification of the amino acid sequence may not substantially affect the function of the protein and the function may be maintained before and after modification. Taking this fact into consideration, a protein obtained by modifying a part of the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2) of the protein having the above-mentioned lysyl oxidase activity (hereinafter, the protein will be referred to as a “modified protein”) may constitute the lysyl oxidase (protein) of the present invention as long as the function as lysyl oxidase is maintained. In other words, as long as the function as lysyl oxidase is maintained, a part of the amino acid sequence allowed to be modified. Note here that it is preferable that the lysyl oxidase activity is not decreased as a result of modification, however, somewhat fluctuation (increase or decrease) of the lysyl oxidase activity is allowed.

The phrase “a part of an amino acid sequence is modified” herein is intended to mean that one or a plurality of amino acids in the amino acid sequence are deleted, substituted, added and/or inserted. The position of the modification (mutation) of the amino acid sequence is not particularly limited as long as the lysyl oxidase activity is maintained. Furthermore, modification may be conducted at a plurality of positions. The number of amino acids to be modified may be, for example, the number corresponding to 10% or less of the entire amino acids, preferably the number corresponding to 5% or less of the entire amino acids, and further preferably the number corresponding to 1% or less of the entire amino acids. The above-mentioned modified protein can be formed by a genetic engineering technique, for example, by preparing a nucleic acid fragment which has a sequence obtained by modifying a base sequence coding the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 and makes this fragment to express in a suitable expressing system.

Among the protein (including modified protein) of the present invention, the protein of natural filamentous fungi can be prepared by operations such as extraction and purification from the filamentous fungi. Furthermore, the protein (including modified protein) of the present invention can be prepared by the genetic engineering technique based on information of lysyl oxidase disclosed herein. For example, a DNA encoding the protein of the present invention is used so as to transform an appropriate host cell and proteins expressed in the transformant are collected, to thus prepare the proteins of the present invention. The collected proteins are appropriately purified in accordance with the purposes. In a case where a protein is prepared as a recombinant protein, various modifications can be conducted. For example, when DNA encoding the protein of the present invention and other appropriate DNA are inserted into one vector and the vector is used so as to produce a recombinant protein, a recombinant protein in which the protein of the present invention is linked to other peptide or protein can be obtained. With such a modification, it is possible to simplify extraction and purification of a recombinant protein or to add the biological functions thereto, and the like.

(DNA Encoding Lysyl Oxidase)

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a DNA encoding lysyl oxidase derived from filamentous fungi is provided. Specific examples of such a DNA can include a DNA having a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 or SEQ ID NO: 4. The former is a sequence derived from a genome DNA (lysyl oxidase gene) encoding lysyl oxidase and the latter is a sequence of a genome DNA from which intron regions are excluded. Another specific example of the DNA of the present invention can include a DNA having a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 6. The former is a DNA having sequence including the lysyl oxidase gene set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 and its putative promoter region. The latter is a DNA including DNA set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4 (DNA from which intron regions are excluded) and its putative promoter region. Since these DNAs have ideal combination of a promoter and a structural gene, if lysyl oxidase is produced by using the DNAs, excellent gene expression can be expected. Therefore, an efficient production system of lysyl oxidase can be constructed.

Further examples of the DNA of the present invention may include a DNA having a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 7. The former is a DNA having a sequence including the lysyl oxidase gene set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, its putative promoter region and terminator region. The latter is a DNA set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4 (a DNA of lysyl oxidase gene from which intron regions are excluded), its putative promoter region and a terminator region. Also when such a DNA is used, an efficient production system of lysyl oxidase can be constructed.

Herein, since the putative promoter region in the sequences respectively set force in SEQ ID NOs: 1, 5, 6, or 7 is 1600 bp in length, which is long for a promoter region. Therefore, it is anticipated that a part of the region is directly involved in the promoter activity. From the viewpoint of this, a region including a continuous part in the putative promoter region (about 1600 bp at the side of '5) in these sequences can be used as a promoter of the DNA of the present invention as long as it is recognized to have a function as a promoter with respect to the lysyl oxidase gene. Therefore, by combining, for example, the thus identified promoter region and the structural gene of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, the DNA of the present invention (DNA encoding lysyl oxidase) can be formed. Herein, in general, from the viewpoint that a region functioning as a promoter is positioned immediately before the structural gene, a region including, for example, bases at positions 569 to 1568 and preferably bases at positions 769 to 1568 is a promising candidate of the functioning region.

The above-mentioned DNAs of the present invention can be prepared by appropriately using a probe, a primer, etc. capable of hybridizing specifically to a gene encoding the lysyl oxidase of the present invention (for example, a DNA having a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3) from an appropriate filamentous fungi genome DNA library or a cDNA library, or a cell extract of filamentous fungi. Note here that a production method of the genome DNA library of filamentous fungi or the cDNA library can be referred to, for example, Molecular Cloning, Third Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York.

Specifically, the DNA of the present invention can be prepared by, for example, the following procedures. First of all, filamentous fungi which are expected to carry a targeted DNA are cultured for a predetermined period of time. And then filtration is conducted so as to collect fungi. The collected fungi are washed and then freeze-dried. Then, the fungus bodies are ground with the use of a mortar, etc. and an appropriate amount of extraction buffer solution (for example, SDS-containing Tris-HCl buffer solution) is added thereto so as to obtain an extraction solution. Then, a genome DNA is extracted and purified by phenol extraction, ethanol precipitation, and the like. By using the thus obtained genome DNA as a template, the PCR method is conducted by using a primer specific to the targeted DNA, so that the targeted DNA can be obtained as an amplification product.

The DNA of the present invention can be also prepared by using an appropriate filamentous fungi genome DNA library or cDNA library if it is available. In accordance with the kinds of libraries to be used, a plaque hybridization technique or a colony hybridization method can be used (see, for example, Molecular Cloning, Third Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York). For example, in a case of the library constructed by using a plasmid, a colony hybridization method is used. For selecting a clone carrying the targeted DNA, a probe having a sequence specific to the DNA of the present invention is used. When the targeted clone is selected, PCR method, etc. using the DNA carried by this clone as a template is conducted by using a primer specific to the sequence of the targeted DNA, so that the DNA of the present invention can be obtained as an amplification product.

The DNA carried by the obtained clone can be subcloned into an appropriate vector so as to be used followingly. Thereby, for example, it is possible to construct a recombinant vector for transformation or a plasmid suitable for decoding a base sequence.

Herein, in general, in a case where a part of a DNA encoding a protein is modified, a protein encoded by the modified DNA may sometimes have the equivalent function to that of a protein encoded by the DNA before modified. That is to say, modification of the DNA sequence does not substantially affect the function of the protein encoded by the DNA and sometimes may maintain the function of the encoded protein before and after modification. Taking this fact into consideration, a DNA having a base sequence obtained by modifying a part of the above-mentioned DNA of the present invention (hereinafter, the DNA will be also referred to as “modified DNA”) can constitute the DNA of the present invention as long as the protein encoded by the DNA has a function as a lysyl oxidase. In other words, as long as the function as lysyl oxidase of the encoded protein is maintained, a part the sequence is allowed to be modified. Note here that it is preferable that the lysyl oxidase activity is not decreased before and after modification, however, somewhat fluctuation (increase or decrease) of the lysyl oxidase activity is allowed.

Herein, “a part of . . . is modified” typically denotes that one or a plurality of bases are substituted, deleted, inserted, or added in the base sequence before modification. Such modification may be occurred in a plurality of sites. “A plurality” herein differs depending upon the position to be modified or kinds of modifications, but the plurality of numbers is, for example, 2 to 100, preferably 2 to 50 and more preferably 2 to 10. The above-mentioned modified DNA can be obtained by, for example, a treatment with a restriction enzyme; treatment with exonuclease, DNA ligase, etc; introduction of mutation by a site-directed mutagenesis (Molecular Cloning, Third Edition, Chapter 13, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York); random mutagenesis (Molecular Cloning, Third Edition, Chapter 13, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York), and the like. Furthermore, the modified DNA can be obtained by a well-known method using a mutation treatment, for example, treating filamentous fungi carrying a lysyl oxidase gene with ultraviolet ray, followed by isolating the modified gene.

Note here that the mutation by deletion, insertion, addition, or inversion, etc. of the bases as mentioned above may include naturally occurring mutation based on the individual difference, difference in species or genera of microorganism carrying lysyl oxidase, etc.

An example of a method for preparing the modified DNA can include a method including: extracting a genome (chromosomal) DNA from naturally occurring filamentous fungi (for example, Aspergillus oryzae) carrying a modified DNA; treating the extracted DNA with appropriate restriction enzymes; and then selecting and isolating a DNA that hybridizes under stringent conditions in a screening using a DNA of the present invention (for example, DNA having a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3) or a part thereof as a probe. When a genome (chromosomal) DNA library including a clone carrying a modified DNA can be used, the modified DAN can be obtained by screening the library under stringent conditions using the DNA of the present invention (for example, a DNA having a sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3) or a part thereof as a probe.

The DNA of the present invention may include a DNA that hybridizes to the DNA of the present invention (for example, a DNA having a sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 or a DNA obtained by modifying the DNA as mentioned above) under stringent conditions and encodes a protein that functions as lysyl oxidase. The “stringent conditions” herein denote a condition in which a so-called specific hybrid is formed and a non-specific hybrid is not formed. The stringent conditions fluctuate depending upon the length of the sequence or kinds of constituting bases. However, an example of the stringent conditions includes a condition in which a DNA is incubated in a hybridization solution (50% formaldehyde, 10×SSC (0.15 M NaCl, 15 mM sodium citrate, pH 7.0), 5×Denhardt solution, 1% SDS, 10% dextran sulfate, 10 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH7.5)) at 42° C., followed by washing with 0.1×SSC and 0.1% SDS at 68° C. Amore preferable example of the stringent conditions can include a condition using a hybridization solution (50% formaldehyde, 5×SSC (0.15 M NaCl, 15 mM sodium citrate, pH 7.0), 1×Denhardt solution, 1% SDS, 10% dextran sulfate, 10 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.5)).

(Vector)

According to another aspect of the present invention, a vector carrying the DNA of the present invention (including a modified DNA) is provided. Such a vector is prepared by introducing the DNA of the present invention into an existing vector or a vector obtained by adding modification to the existing vector. Any vectors may be used as a starting material in principle as long as they can carry the DNA of the present invention, however, an appropriate vector can be selected in accordance with the purpose of use (cloning, expression of polypeptide), while considering the kinds of host cells. The introduction of the DNA of the present invention into a vector can be conducted by a well-known method using a restriction enzyme and DNA ligase (see, Molecular Cloning, Third Edition, 1.84, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York).

Note here that when a DNA that includes also a promoter region (for example, a DNA having a sequence of any of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 5, 6 and 7) is used, a recombinant vector may be constructed by incorporating a separately prepared promoter region and a structural gene (and a terminator) into a vector. In such a case, as long as a promoter function is appropriately exhibited, other sequences may be intervened between the promoter region and the structural gene (and the terminator) in the vector. Furthermore, a vector carrying the promoter region may be constructed firstly and then ligated to the structural gene.

Typically, a vector for transformation contains a lysyl oxidase gene (for example, a DNA having a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3), a promoter and a terminator. In order to achieve an appropriate transcription of a structural gene by a promoter, a promoter, a gene of lysyl oxidase and a terminator are arranged successively from the upper stream toward the lower stream. A selection marker, a sequence having an enhancer function, and a sequence encoding a signal peptide may be contained in the vector.

(Transformant)

The vector for transformation can be used for transforming filamentous fungi. That is to say, by using the above-mentioned vector for transformation, a preparation method of the transformed filamentous fungi can be constructed. With such a preparation method, filamentous fungi into which the DNA of the present invention is exogeneously introduced can be obtained. The thus obtained transformed filamentous fungi can be used for production of lysyl oxidase. Specifically, by culturing transformed filamentous fungi into which the DNA of the present invention is exogeneously introduced under conditions where a protein (lysyl oxidase) encoded by the DNA, lysyl oxidase can be produced. Any appropriate culture media can be used in accordance with a host to be used. For example, various kinds of commercially available culture media or culture media to which ingredient necessary for growth, selection and promotion of expression of, for example, arginine, uridine, and the like are added can be used.

From the culture medium solution or fungus bodies after being cultured for a predetermined period of time, targeted protein (lysyl oxidase) can be collected. When the proteins are produced outside fungus bodies, the proteins can be collected from the culture medium solution and in other case, the proteins can be collected from fungus bodies. When the proteins are collected from the culture medium solution, for example, the targeted proteins can be obtained by isolation and purification by combining salting out such as ammonium sulfate precipitation, etc., dialysis, various chromatography, and the like. On the other hand, when the proteins can be collected from the fungus bodies, for example, the targeted proteins can be obtained by isolation and purification after the fungus bodies are ground by a pressure treatment, ultrasonic treatment, etc. Note here that after the fungus bodies are collected from a culture medium solution by filtration, centrifugation, etc. in advance, the above-mentioned series of steps (girding of fungus bodies, isolation and purification) may be conducted. Note here that since the lysyl oxidase of the present invention generally produced outside the fungus bodies, the isolation and purification thereof can be conducted relatively easily.

The kinds of host filamentous fungi to be used for transformation are not particularly limited. Examples of the host filamentous fungi include filamentous fungi classified in genera of Aspergillus (Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus sojae, Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus Kawachii, Aspergillus parasiticus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus nomius, Aspergillus fumigatus, and the like), Penicillium, Trichoderma, Rhizopus, Mucor, Fusarium or the like can be used. Preferably, filamentous fungi in Aspergillus genera is used. Among them, Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus niger is preferably used from the viewpoint of safety.

The vector for transformation can be introduced (transformed) into the host filamentous fungi by a well-known method. For example, it can be conducted by a method by Turner et al. using, for example, fungus body as a protoplast (see Gene, 36, 321-331 (1985)). Besides, a method by Gomi et al. (Agric. Biol. Chem., 51, 323-328 (1987)) may be employed.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples, but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. Note here that various kinds of genetic engineering techniques in Examples were conducted in accordance with the method described in Current protocols in molecular biology (edited by Frederick M. Ausubel et al., 1987) mentioned above.

EXAMPLE 1 Production Method of Whole-Genome Shotgun Library

1. Preparation of Insert Side

(1) Obtaining of Chromosomal DNA

Spores of filamentous fungi, Aspergillus oryzae RIB-40 strain (ATCC 42149) were inoculated in a YPD culture medium (0.5% yeast extract, 1% peptone and 2% glucose) and cultured over night with shaking at 30° C. Thereafter, a genome DNA was extracted in accordance with a method by Iimura (Argric. Biol. Chem. 323-328, 51 (1987)). A mitochondrial DNA mixed in the genome DNA was purified by cesium chloride ultracentrifugation so as to obtain only a chromosomal DNA in accordance with the method by Watson et al. (Methods Enzymol. 57-75 118 (1986)).

(2) Fragmentation of Chromosomal DNA

The obtained pure chromosomal DNA was placed in a DNA fragmentation device HydroShear (Tomy Digital Biology Co., Ltd.) so as to form the chromosomal DNA into fragments of about 1-2 kb.

(3) End Treatment of Fragmented DNA

The fragmented chromosomal DNA was treated with BAL31 nuclease (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.) and then the end thereof was blunted by a treatment by a Klenow Fragment (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.).

(4) Addition of Adaptor to the End

To both ends of the end-blunted chromosomal DNA fragment, an adaptor including (P) 5′-CGAGAGCGGCCGCTAC-3′ and (P) 5′-GTAGCGGCCGCTC-3′ was ligated by using T4 DNA Ligase (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.).

2. Transformation

After pUC19 was cut with a restriction enzyme SalI (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.), dT was inserted into the part cut with SalI by using Taq DNA polymerase (Roche Diagnostics K. K.). The thus produced plasmid was dephospholylated by a treatment using Alkaline Phosphatase (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.) and used as a vector. The vector and the above produced chromosomal DNA fragment were ligated to each other by using T4 DNA Ligase and transformation was conducted by electroporation in Escherichia coli DH10B (Gibco).

3. Determination of Base Sequence

The full length of the insertion fragment of the plasmid DNA including a site where a sequencing primer was annealed was amplified by culturing Escherichia coli transformant in a 2xYP medium at 37° C. for 10 hours so as to collect fungi, followed by heat-treating in sterile water at 99° C. for 10 minutes so as to obtain a supernatant; and carrying out PCR using the supernatant 30 cycles of reactions at 98° C. for 20 seconds and at 68° C. for 2 minutes. The obtained DNA fragment was used as template for Sangaer method so as to carry out a sequence reaction by using a PRISM Dye-Terminator Sequencing Kit (Perkin Elmer) and in accordance with the instruction attached to the kit. Sequence reaction product was subjected to gel filtration so as to remove unreacted Dye-terminator and thereafter the base sequence of DNA fragment was decoded by using 3700 DNA Sequencer (PerkinElmer). Waveform data output from the 3700 DNA Sequencer was analyzed again by using Phred (Phil Green), vector and adaptor sequences were removed, followed by assembling by SPS Phrap (Southwest Parallel Software Inc.) so as to construct Contig sequence of Aspergillus genome DNA base sequence.

EXAMPLE 2 Identification of Gene

Identification of gene from a genome DNA base sequence was conducted by the following technique. In the technique of identifying genes, with respect to the contig sequence of the genome DNA base sequence, the combination of a gene region prediction system GeneDecoder based on algorithm by Kiyoshi Asai et al. (Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing 98, 228-239) and a gene region prediction system ALN based on algorithm (Bioinformatics 2000 16: 190-202) by Osamu Goto was used while considering the homology between sequence information on the already obtained ESTs and amino acid sequence databases of the well-known protein. Furthermore, for predicting a tRNA gene, tRNA-scan was used.

<1> “Extraction of BLAST Homologous Gene Candidate Region”

A region having a high homology to the amino acid sequence of the known protein was extracted from the contig sequence of the genome DNA base sequence. The homology of amino acid sequence can be determined by algorithm BLAST by Karlin and Altschul (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sei. USA 87:2264-2268, 1990, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sei. USA 90:5873-5877, 1993). Based on this algorithm, a program called BLASTX was developed (Altschul et al. J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410, 1990). A region having high homology, when the genome DNA base sequence is translated into the amino acid sequence, can be directly retrieved by the BLASTX. The specific technique of these analysis methods is well known (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). In this technique, by searching the BLASTX under the conditions that the contig sequence of the genome DNA base sequence is used as a query sequence and that SWISSPROT version 39 (Bairoch, A. & Apweiler, R. Nucleic Acids Res. 28, 45-48 (2000).) and NRaa are used as databases, and then a region having an E-value (i.e., index of homology in BLAST algorithm) of 10⁻³⁰ or less is extracted (note here that as the E-value is small, the homology is high). From these regions, BLAST homologous gene candidate regions are extracted by giving high priority to a part having high homology so that the candidate regions are not overlapped with each other.

<2> “Extract of ALN Gene Candidate Region”

Among the BLAST homologous gene candidate regions, a region having homology with respect to 90% or more of the full length of the amino acid sequence of the protein that is a subject of homology is made to be core, and an ALN gene candidate region is extracted by applying a gene region prediction system ALN with respect to the contig sequence. The ALN predicts a gene region by identifying a splice site while aligning the full length of an amino acid sequence of the protein that is a subject of homology with respect to the contig sequence.

<3> “Extraction of GD Homologous Gene Candidate Region”

Among the BLAST homologous gene candidate regions, a region having homology with respect to 20% or more and less than 90% of the full length of an amino acid sequence of the protein that is a subject of homology is made to be core, and a GD homologous gene candidate region is extracted by applying a gene region prediction system GeneDecoder with respect to the contig sequence. GeneDecoder predicts a gene region by integrating E-value of BLASTX and statistic amount of 2 series of codons (index of direction of the protein coding region) and further considering a score by a position-dependent primary Markov Model of the splice site.

<4> “Extraction of EST-GD Gene Candidate Region”

As to a region in which gene expression is confirmed by EST corresponding to the contig sequence, by applying GeneDecoder to the contig sequence in the vicinity of the region, not only a gene region determined by EST sequence but also an entire region of gene is predicted. Thus, an EST-GD gene candidate region is obtained.

<5> “Extraction of General GD Gene Candidate Region”

With respect to the contig sequence that is not included in <1> to <4> mentioned above, by applying GeneDecoder, gene a region is predicted.

<6> Extraction of tRNA Gene Candidate Region”

By applying tRNA-scan to the entire contig sequence, a tRNA gene region candidate region is extracted.

<7> “Integration of Gene Candidate Regions”

By the following procedures, gene candidate regions described in the above <2> to <6> are integrated. Firstly, in the gene candidate regions <2> to <6>, a gene region that is expected to have gene regions which are contradictory to the splice site determined by EST are removed. The rest of the gene candidate regions are integrated with the regions overlapped with each other excluded. At this time, tRNA, ALN homologous gene candidate region, GD homologous gene candidate region, GD-EST gene candidate region, general GD gene candidate region are integrated by giving a higher priority in this order. This integrated gene candidate regions are made to be a set of the prediction genes.

By the above-mentioned procedures, from the viewpoint of homology, a gene having homology over the full length of the well-known protein, a gene having homology to a part of the well-known protein, and a gene having no homology to the well-known protein are ensured to be identified with higher reliability in this order. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of confirmation of expression, a gene whose expression is confirmed by EST and a gene whose expression is not confirmed by EST are identified with reliability in this order. Furthermore, all the candidate genes are ensured that they are not contradictory to the splice site identified by EST.

The technique used employs algorithm that is not allowed to contain a stop codon in a protein encoding region, so that there is little possibility of predicting a pseudogene as a gene.

As to determination of functions, with respect to the predicted gene region, the database Nraa in BLAST is searched for homology, and the function is determined with a sufficient homology (E-value: 10⁻³⁰) as a threshold value.

EXAMPLE 3 Retrieving for Sequence Encoding Lysyl Oxidase

As result of Example 2, sequences having a certain function (function sequences) were predicted and extracted from Aspergillus genome DNA. Among these function sequences, for all of the sequences that were anticipated to encode proteins, BLAST search (Standard protein-protein BLAST: blastp) provided by NCBI was used to retrieve a region having high homology to a lysyl oxidase gene derived from Pichia Pastoris. As a result, the high homology to a lysyl oxidase gene derived from Pichia Pastoris was successfully found in a sequence set force in SEQ ID NO: 24 (the sequence contains a sequence (SEQ ID NO: 8) as shown by SEQ ID NO: 36845 in the prior application). Thus, for the purpose of analyzing the function of the region and identifying an amino acid sequence of the protein encoded by the region, the following various experiments were conducted.

EXAMPLE 4 Obtaining Chromosomal Gene

Aspergillus oryzae RIB-40 strain was cultured over night at 30° C. by using a Sakaguchi flask containing 100 ml of a potato dextrose medium (Difco). Then, the medium solution was filtrated by using a Buchner funnel and Nutsche suction bottle so as to obtain fungus bodies. The fungus bodies were washed with 300 ml of water, frozen at −80° C. and then freeze-dried. As a result, about 0.3 g of the obtained fungus bodies were ground together with one spoonful of sea sand with the use of a mortar and a pestle, followed by suspending in 8 ml of TE solution (10 mM of Tris-HCl (pH 8.0) and 1 mM EDTA). To the suspension, 4 ml of 10% SDS aqueous solution was added and stirred vigorously. Then, the equal amount of phenol:chloroform:isoamyl alcohol (25:24:1) solution was added and stirred, followed by centrifugation (1500 g, 5 minutes, at room temperature) to obtain a supernatant. To the supernatant, 100 μl of TE solution containing 20 mg/ml of Proteinase K (Roche Diagnostics K.K.) was added and stirred, followed by incubating at 37° C. for 30 minutes. Then, the equal amount of phenol:chloroform:isoamyl alcohol solution was added again and stirred, followed by centrifugation (1500 g, 5 minutes, at room temperature) so as to obtain supernatant. To the obtained supernatant, the equal amount of isopropanol was added gently. With this treatment, chromosomal DNA precipitating on the interface was reeled up with the use of a Pasteur pipette. The chromosomal DNA was washed with 70% ethanol and air-dried. The thus obtained chromosomal DNA was dissolved in 3 ml of TE solution again to which 100 μl of 10 mg/ml RNase A (SIGMA) was added, followed by incubating at 37° C. for 30 minutes. Then, 25 μl of 20 mg/ml of Proteinase K solution was added and stirred, followed by incubating at 37° C. for 30 minutes. Then, the equal amount of phenol:chloroform:isoamyl alcohol (25:24:1) solution was added. After stirring, centrifugation (1500 g, 5 minutes, at room temperature) was conducted so as to obtain a supernatant. After repeating this washing operation twice, to the obtained supernatant, the equal amount of chloroform: isoamyl alcohol (24:1) solution was added and stirred, followed by centrifugation (1500 g, 5 minutes, at room temperature) to obtain a supernatant. To the obtained supernatant, 1/10 volume of 3 M NaOAc (pH 4.8) and two-times volume of ethanol were added and cooled at −80° C. so as to precipitate chromosomal DNA. The precipitated chromosomal DNA was collected by centrifugation (1500 g, 5 minutes, at room temperature). The collected chromosomal DNA was washed with 70% ethanol, vacuum dried, and finally dissolved in 300 μl of TE solution to obtain a chromosomal DNA solution with the concentration of about 1 mg/ml.

EXAMPLE 5 Production of Probe for Colony Hybridization

Based on sequence information on the contig sequence of the Aspergillus genome DNA obtained in Example 1, a primer pair, which amplifies a genome DNA fragment which exists in a restriction enzyme BalI fragment (SEQ ID NO: 24) and contains a part of a region of the targeted gene (putative lysyl oxidase gene), was designed as follows.

LO-2: 5′-TAGCACCATCTACTCTGAGTGGC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 11) LOR-2: 5′-CCTGGTCATATAGTCGTAGTTGC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 12)

By using this primer pair, PCR was conducted. Note here that the composition of the reaction solution was as follows.

sterile water: 36.75 μl

10× Buffer for Pyrobest® DNA Polymerase: 5 μl

2.5 MI dNTP solution: 4 μl

10 pmol/μl LO-2: 1 μl

10 pmol/μl LOR-2: 1 μl

60 ng/μl RIB40 chromosomal DNA: 2 μl

5 U/μl Pyrobest® DNA Polymerase (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.): 0.25 μl/50 μl

To the above-mentioned reaction solution, 50 μl of mineral oil was dropped and PCR was conducted by using GeneAmp™ PCR System PJ9600 (PE Bio System) under the following conditions.

(1) Reaction at 94° C. for minute, (2) 30 cycles of reactions at 94° C. for 30 seconds, at 50° C. for 30 seconds and at 72° C. for 2 minutes, and (3) allowed to stand at 4° C.

As a result of PCR, about 900 bp of DNA fragment was specifically amplified and the amplified DNA fragment was extracted by using GeneCleanIII (BIO 101) after carrying out Agarose gel electrophoresis. The extracted DNA fragment was subcloned into pUC19, and then inserted DNA fragment was DIG labeled with DIG High Prime (Roche Diagnostics K.K.) so as to obtain a probe of putative lysyl oxidase gene.

EXAMPLE 6 Colony Hybridization

40 μg of chromosomal DNA obtained in Example 4 was completely digested at 37° C. with the use of 50 U restriction enzyme BalI (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.). Then, a DNA fragment having a chain length of 9.1 kbp was cut out by Agarose electrophoresis, and then extracted with the use of GeneCleanIII (BIO 101) so as to make an insert for producing library. On the other hand, after pUC19 was completely digested (incubation at 30° C. for one night) by using 80 U SmaI (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.), followed by dephosphorylation with the use of alkaline phosphatase (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.) so as to make a vector for producing library. The thus prepared insert DNA and vector DNA were ligated to each other with the use of Ligation Kit ver.2 (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.), which was used so as to transform Escherichia coli DH5 strain Competent Cell (TOYOBO). Ampicillin resistance transformation strains were inoculated so that about 200 colonies were formed for one sheet of LA plate (ampicillin (SIGMA) 100 μg/ml) and incubated at 37° C. for one night so as to grow colonies. The grown colonies (total number: about 4000) were lifted to Nylon Membranes for Colony and Plaque Hybridization (Roche Diagnostics K.K.) and DNA was immobilized on a membrane. By using the probe produced in Example 5, colony hybridization was conducted so as to detect colonies showing strong signal with the use of DIG Nucleic Acid Detection Kit (Roche Diagnostics K.K.). As a result of the colony hybridization, a plasmid carried by the selected clone was called pULO so as to make it a plasmid containing a putative lysyl oxidase gene. Note here that each of the above-mentioned operations was conducted in accordance with the protocol attached to the reagent or kit.

EXAMPLE 7 Analysis of Base Sequence of Clone Containing Putative Lysyl Oxidase Gene

Based on the information of a sequence (SEQ ID NO: 24: BalI fragment (the sequence includes a putative promoter region and a putative terminator region)) including a region that is expected to encode lysyl oxidase, which were clarified in Examples 1 to 3, the following 10 kinds of synthetic primers were produced, and by using these primers, a base sequence of the insert of the clone pULO was determined. For the sequence reaction, BigDye™ Terminator Cycle Sequencing FS Ready Kit VER.2 (Applied Biosystem) was used; and for analysis, ABI PRISM 310 Sequencer (Applied Biosystem) was used.

L-1: 5′-GCTAGCTTATACTAACCC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 13) L-2: 5′-GACTATGTTCTCGTGCGC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 14) L-3: 5′-TCTTTGCATTTGTCCAGG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 15) L-4: 5′-TCTGCGTCGTTGGACAAC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 16) L-5: 5′-GACTGACCCTCATTATGC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 17) L-6: 5′-AACACCGAGGGACCATGG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 18) L-7: 5′-TACCTCACCCTCCGATCC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 19) L-8: 5′-GGGACAGCACACCTGACG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 20) L-9: 5′-AACCCGAATGATCCGTAC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 21) L-10: 5′-AGAGAATAATCGAAATGG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 22)

A part of the determined base sequence was perfectly identical to a sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 8 (a sequence including a structural gene of putative lysyl oxidase as well as a promoter and a terminator). Therefore, it was found that the plasmid pULO had a DNA fragment perfectly covering the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 8 (sequence including a putative promoter, a putative structural gene and putative terminator).

EXAMPLE 8 Construction of Expression Vector pBALO

Next, 3 μg of pULO was digested with a restriction enzyme BglII (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.) so as to obtain about 7.0 kbp DNA fragment (SEQ ID NO: 10. Hereinafter, the fragment will be referred to as “putative lysyl oxidase DNA fragment”). The end of the obtained DNA fragment was blunted with the use of T4 DNA Polymerase (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.) so as to make it an insert DNA. On the other hand, 7.5 g of expression vector pBAR in which ArgB gene derived from Aspergillus nidulans was inserted into SalI-XoI site of pBluescript II KS (+) was completely digested (incubated at 30° C. for one night) with the use of 80 U of SmaI (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.). Thereafter, with the use of Alkaline Phosphatase (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.), dephosphorylation was conducted so as to make a vector DNA. The insert DNA and the vector DNA, which were prepared as mentioned above, were ligated to each other with the use of Ligation Kit ver.2 (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.), thereby transforming Escherichia coli DH5 strain competent cell (TOYOBO) to obtain ampicillin resistant transformant. The plasmid carried by the obtained clone was called pBALO and used as an expression vector (see FIG. 1).

EXAMPLE 9 Transformation of Aspergillus nidulans

Aspergillus nidulans ABPU1 strain (ornithine carbamoyltransferase gene defective strain of Aspergillus nidulans) that is auxotrophic mutant was cultured at 37° C. for one night under the following medium conditions.

<Complete Medium>

malto extract: 20 g

glucose: 20 g

bactopeptone: 1 g

uridine: 2 g

p-amino benzoic acid: 2.5 mg

riboflavine: 2.5 mg

pyridoxine: 2.5 mg

biotin: 2.5 mg

arginine hydrochloride: 055 g/L (pH 6.5)

Fungus bodies collected from 200 ml of culture medium obtained by culturing under the above-mentioned conditions and then collecting with the use of a glass filter (100 μm) was suspended in a protoplast preparation solution having the following compositions.

sterile MillQ water: 37 ml

sodium chloride: 1.9 g

0.4 M sodium phosphate solution (pH 5.8): 1 ml

1 M calcium chloride aqueous solution: 0.8 ml

Novozyme 234 (NOVO NORDISK): 150 mg/40 ml (aseptic filtration by cellulose nitrate filter (0.45 μm))

The above-mentioned suspension was treated for 1 protoplastization at 30° C. at 78 rpm for one hour. The obtained protoplast suspension was filtrated with a nylon filter (230-mesh) and the filtrate was centrifuged (400 g, 5 minutes, at room temperature) so as to obtain protoplast. 10 ml of the protoplast was washed with 0.8 M NaCl, and then centrifuged (400 g, 5 minutes, at room temperature) so as to obtain precipitates of protoplast. The obtained protoplast precipitate was suspended in 200 μl of 0.8 M NaCl-50 mM CaCl₂ to obtain a protoplast solution. The concentration of protoplast was calculated by the observation through microscope. By using the protoplast suspension diluted to 2×10⁸/ml, the transformation was conducted in accordance with the following procedure. 5 μl of pBALO solution (3 μg/μl) was added and suspended in 50 μl protoplast suspension, and then 12.5 μl of PEG solution (25% PEG6000, 50 mM CaCl₂ and 10 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5)) was added and further suspended, and allowed to stand in ice for 20 minutes. Then, 500 μl of PEG solution (25% PEG6000, 50 mM CaCl₂, 10 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5)) was added and suspended again, and allowed to stand in ice for 5 minutes. Finally, 1 ml of 0.8 M NaCl-50 mM CaCl₂ was added and suspended. 0.5 ml of suspension solution was placed in a schale and then the following regenerated medium was poured thereto so as to solidify it as a plate. It was incubated at 37° C. for 3-4 days and a single fungus was isolated in the below-mentioned minimum medium so as to obtain a transformant strain into which a putative lysyl oxidase DNA fragment was introduced.

<Regenerated Medium>

sodium nitrate: 6 g

potassium phosphate: 1.52 g

potassium chloride: 0.52 g

sorbitol: 218.6 g

uridine: 2.0 g

p-amino benzoic acid: 2.5 mg

riboflavine: 2.5 mg

pyridoxine: 2.5 mg

biotin: 2.5 mg

agar: 20 g/L (pH 6.5)

(the following materials were added after sterilization (121° C., 20 minutes))

50% glucose: 20 ml

5.2% magnesium sulphate-7-hydrate: 10 ml

<Minimum Medium>

sodium nitrate: 0.85 g

potassium phosphate: 1.525 g

potassium chloride: 0.525 g

Trace element: 1.5 ml

Uridine: 2 g

p-amino benzoic acid: 2.5 mg

riboflavine: 2.5 mg

pyridoxine: 2.5 mg

biotin: 2.5 mg

agar: 15 g/L (pH 6.5)

(the following materials were added after sterilization (121° C., 20 minutes))

50% glucose: 20 ml

5.2% magnesium sulphate-7-hydrate: 10 ml

<Trace Element>

4-sodium borate-10-hydrate: 40 mg

copper sulfate-5-hydrate: 0.4 g

iron sulfate-7-hydrate: 1.6 g

manganese sulfate-4-hydrate: 0.8 g

sodium molybdate-2-hydrate: 0.8 g

zinc sulfate-7-hydrate: 8 g/L

EXAMPLE 10 Culture of Transformant

The transformant was culture while shaking at 30° C. for 3 days under the following conditions.

<SPY medium+vitamins>

starch: 30 g

polypeptone: 10 g

yeast extract: 5 g

potassium chloride: 2 g

potassium phosphate: 1 g

residues of alcohol fermentation: 0.1 g

uridine: 2 g

p-amino benzoic acid: 2.5 mg

riboflavine: 2.5 mg

pyridoxine: 2.5 mg

biotin: 2.5 mg

(the following materials were added after sterilization (121° C., 20 minutes))

5.2% magnesium sulphate-7-hydrate: 10 ml/L (pH 6.5)

The culture medium (10 ml) cultured under the above-mentioned conditions was centrifuged (2,400 g, 10 minutes, 4° C.) so as to obtain a culture supernatant.

EXAMPLE 11 Measurement of Enzyme Activity of Lysyl Oxidase

By using each of the obtained culture supernatants, the lysyl oxidase activity was measured in accordance with the following procedures. For a control, a culture supernatant obtained by similarly culturing Aspergillus nidulans ABPU1 strain, which had not been transformed, in a medium obtained by adding arginine hydrochloride into the above-mentioned medium to the concentration of 0.55 g/L was used.

The lysyl oxidase activity was calculated from the produced amount of dimmer generated by the polymerization of allicin and lysine which were generated after the substrate lysine was oxidized by lysyl oxidase. The amount of lysine dimmer was measured by using LC-MS (Agilent).

Firstly, by using each culture supernatant (crude enzyme sample), the following reaction solution was prepared.

0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0): 235 μl

1.0 M lysine hydrochloride aqueous solution: 60 μl

culture supernatant: 6 μl

total: 301 μl

Each reaction solution was incubated at 37° C., and 30 μl each of reaction solution was sampled after 1, 2, 4, 8 and 24 hours, respectively. The sampled reaction solution was subjected to heat treatment at 100° C. for 15 minutes and the reaction was stopped. Then a LC mobile phase was used so as to dilute 10 times and a sample to be measured was obtained. Note here that a sample obtained by using a culture supernatant in which the enzyme had been inactivated by a heat treatment at 100° C. for 15 minutes in advance was used as a blank.

For measuring the amount of lysine dimmer in each measurement sample, Agilent 1100 series LC/MSD system (Agilent) was used. As a separation column, supelco ABZ plus (Spelco) was used. Value obtained by subtracting a blank sample value from a peak area value of the ratio of mass to charge (m/Z) 275 detected as a peak of lysine dimmer in the positive mode was made to be a measurement value of each sample.

As a result of measurement, in some samples using culture supernatant of transformant, it was found that the measurement value was increased in proportion to the reaction period of time. That is to say, it was found that the amount of lysine dimmer was increased in proportion to the reaction time. The measurement results using measurement sample whose reaction period of time was 24 hours are shown in table and graph in FIG. 2. Note here that only the result of the sample whose amount of lysine dimmer was confirmed to be increased was extracted to be shown. As is apparent from the table and graph, in samples using the culture supernatant of transformant L-3, 10, 17, 26 and 48, respectively, the activity having not less than 6 times higher than that of a control (ABPU1 strain) was shown. Thus, it was confirmed that these transformants had a lysyl oxidase gene.

The above-mentioned results demonstrated that putative lysyl oxidase DNA fragment used for producing transformant contained a region encoding lysyl oxidase.

EXAMPLE 12 Determination of Transcription Termination Point of Gene

Aspergillus oryzae RIB-40 strain and the transformant LO-3 (Aspergillus nidulans ABPU1) which exhibited the maximum lysyl oxidase activity in the above activity measurement were cultured in the same manner as in Example 10 so as to prepare fungus bodies. From the obtained fungus bodies, all RNAs were extracted by Trisol reagent (GIBCO BRL). By using the RNAs as templates, a 3′DNA fragment was amplified by using 3′-Full RACE Core Set (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd). Specific sequence in a synthetic primer designed from the information of lysyl oxidase genome to be used is shown below.

LO-3′: 5′-TGGCTGAACCTGGGGATGCACCAC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 23)

As a result of analysis of base sequence of the amplified DNA fragment, the base sequence (SEQ ID NO: 9) of the DNA fragment was identical to a part of the base sequence of a region that was anticipated to be a structural gene of the original lysyl oxidase in Examples 1 to 3 and had poly A sequence. It was found from these facts that the DNA fragment was a DNA fragment showing 3′ end of the putative lysyl oxidase structural gene. Thus, the transcription termination point of the putative lysyl oxidase structural gene was clarified and it was found that it was positioned at the side of 3′ terminal. Thus, the transcription termination point of a structural gene of the putative lysyl oxidase was clarified and turned to be positioned closer to the side of 3′ end than expected. That is to say, from the above-mentioned results, it was found that the sequence of a structural gene obtained from the above-mentioned results differed in the 3′ end region from the originally identified sequence as a structural gene. Note here that a structural gene newly identified based on the above-mentioned results and an amino acid sequence thereof are respectively shown in SEQ ID NO: 3 and SEQ ID NO: 2.

EXAMPLE 13 Construction of Expression Vector Carrying Insert DNA Having Deletion in 3′ Side Region

From the result in Example 12, it was clarified that about 7.0 kbp insert DNA which had been inserted into the expression vector pBALO had a region unnecessary to lysyl oxidase activity in its 3′ region. Then, for the purpose of narrowing a region necessary to lysyl oxidase activity, an insert DNA in which a part of 3′ side of the insert DNA was deleted (hereinafter, referred to as “deleted insert DNA”). 3 μg of pBALO was digested with restriction enzymes AccIII and AflII (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd) and divided into about 2.2 kbp region at the side of 3′ side region which was thought to be unnecessary to expression and about 9.4 kbp vector fragment containing a deletion insert DNA. Then, only the vector fragment was extracted and the end thereof was end-blunted with T4 DNA Polymerase (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd), followed by self-ligation with the use of a Ligation Kit ver.2 (Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd). By using the thus obtained expression vector, Escherichia coli DH5 strain (TOYOBO) was transferred and an ampicillin resistant transformant was selected. A plasmid carrying the selected clone was named pBALO-D and used for the following experiment as a new expression vector (see FIG. 4).

EXAMPLE 14 Obtaining of Transformant and Measurement of Lysyl Oxidase Activity

The measurement of lysyl oxidase activity of the transformant into which pBALO-D was introduced in accordance with the procedures the same as in Examples 9 to 11. FIG. 5 shows the measurement results when measurement samples whose reaction period was 8 hour were used. Note here that only the results of samples whose amount of lysine dimer was confirmed to be increased was extracted to be shown. As is apparent from these table and graph, similar to the results in Example 11, transformants LOD-9, 16 exhibiting the activity that was not less than 5 times higher than that of a control (ABPU1 strain) were obtained. From these results, it was confirmed that pBALO-D carried a lysyl oxidase gene capable of expressing. Therefore, it was found that a deletion insert DNA (SEQ ID NO: 1) carried by pBALO-D had a sequence necessary to expression of lysyl oxidase gene. As mentioned above, a minimum region necessary to expression of the lysyl oxidase gene was further identified by this Example.

The present invention is not particularly limited to the above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention and descriptions of Examples. Variations which are within the scope of the following claims and which a person skilled in the art can achieve easily are also included in the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, lysyl oxidase derived from filamentous fungi and DNA encoding thereof are provided. By using the DNA of the present invention, a production system of lysyl oxidase using filamentous fungi with high safety is constructed. 

1. An isolated lysyl oxidase consisting of a protein described in the following (a) or (b): (a) a protein having the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, or (b) a protein having an amino acid sequence obtained by modifying 5% or less of the amino acids of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, and functioning as lysyl oxidase.
 2. An isolated DNA described in the following (A) or (B): (A) a DNA encoding the lysyl oxidase described in claim 1; or (B) a DNA which hybridizes under stringent conditions of 50% formamide, 10×SSC, 5×Denhardt solution, 1% SDS, 10% dextran sulfate, 10 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.5) at 42° C., to the full length complement of (A) and encoding a protein which functions as a lysyl oxidase.
 3. An isolated DNA having any one of the following sequences (i) to (vi): (i) a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; (ii) a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; (iii) a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5; (iv) a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; (v) a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; and (vi) a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 7. 4. A vector comprising the DNA described in claim
 2. 5. A vector comprising the DNA described in claim
 3. 6. Filamentous fungi into which the DNA described in claim 2 is exogenously introduced.
 7. Filamentous fungi into which the DNA described in claim 3 is exogenously introduced.
 8. A method for producing lysyl oxidase, the method comprising the following steps (1) and (2): (1) a step of culturing the filamentous fungi described in claim 6 under conditions where a protein encoded by the DNA can be produced; and (2) a step of collecting the produced product.
 9. A method for producing lysyl oxidase, the method comprising the following steps (1) and (2): (1) a step of culturing the filamentous fungi described in claim 7 under conditions where a protein encoded by the DNA can be produced; and (2) a step of collecting the produced protein. 